Heraldry, Symbols and Emblems

Most texts and materials on this site have to do with the Latin language, including its perception in popular culture: movies, tattoos, inscriptions, engravings, bits of ancient philosophy, online Latin resources and company names. There is also information about learning Latin and Greek: textbooks, dictionaries, DVDs and software that can be used in a homeschooling environment.

French phrases adopted as mottos, in my opinion, have slightly different connotations, as opposed to the Latin ones. They have a certain air of chivalry and perhaps a distinctly feudal sense of duty and allegiance. Or, perhaps, Latin mottos better represent the aspirations and ideals of the well educated religious and academic elite, while French mottos are more indicative of the warrior culture of the Middle Ages. It is my belief, of course, that it is not a bad idea to start learning a language by noticing that you may already have some knowledge of it. Mottos are exactly the kind of thing that can be known to people who otherwise are clueless about the actual grammar or vocabulary of a given language.

Zodiac signs meanings

There is a little bit of Latin to be learned from the names of the Zodiac signs. More importantly, one should not always rely upon these names as a source of meaning for the corresponding words. This goes especially for Sagittarius, Capricord and Aquarius. The traditional translations of these names is more relevant to the depictions of these constellations, rather than to the Latin words and their meanings.

1. Aries (The Ram) - a ram, a battering ram2. Taurus (The Bull) - a bull, ox3. Gemini (The Twins) - plural of 'geminus' 'born at the same time', twin, double, similar4. Cancer (The Crab) -a crab, the South (because this sign of the Zodiac is found at the time of the summer solstice), cancer5. Leo (The Lion) - a lion6. Virgo (The Virgin) - a maid, a virgin, a young woman or girl, something pure7. Libra (The Scale) - a pair of scales, a measure, the Roman pound, balance8. Scorpio (The Scorpion) - a scorpion9. Sagittarius (The Centaur) - an archer, a bowman10. Capricorn (The Sea-goat) - caper-cornu; cf. in Gr. aigokereus, having goat's horns11. Aquarius (The Pitcher) - relating to water, a water carrier 12. Pisces (The Fish) - plural of 'piscis' 'fish'

After making a special page with a nice selection of what can be justly seen as promise ring poems I decided to dig a little deeper.
Needless to say, Elizabethan English folk did not invent the art of inscribing rings to be given as pledges of love. Here is a simple inscription from an old Roman ring:

PIGNUS AMORIS HABES -
"You have the pledge of love!"

The engraved emblem on the ring is probably that of a dolphin or a fish. I have to consult with my books on symbols about the meaning of this. The Christian interpretation, of course, would involve fish as a symbol of Christ.

Sure, the inscription does not rhyme or anything... Ancient Romans pretty much did not have a conception of a rhyme.